In this bulletin:

• Taleban 'free' French aid worker
• Afghan parliament impeaches refugees minister, to vote again on foreign minister
• Water, other projects behind Iran deportations, hints Afghan minister
• Iran foreign minister refutes UK claims that Tehran helps Taliban
• Pakistan Fences Part of Afghan Border
• ROZs ‘best weapon’ against Al Qaeda and Taliban: Rice
• Pakistan to close two refugee camps in Balochistan
• Pakistan urges Afghanistan to immediately free its nationals
• Civilian deaths confirmed in Afghan battle
• Afghans Say Civilian Toll in Strikes Is Much Higher Than Reported
• Bulgaria to increase number of troops in Afghanistan
• German Greens urge end to NATO mission in Afghanistan
• 1,000 Polish troops more to Afghanistan
• Kabul detains Canadian citizen
• ories flop on green plan, Afghan issue: poll
• Tories try to block Afghan detainee probe
• Ex-Afghan warlord ready to take on Taliban
• Future of world linked to Afghanistan: Khalilzad
• What Unites The New 'United Front'?
• Opinion: Brutality of Afghan conflict and Taliban mindset
• Jihad against govt obligatory, says mullah

Taleban 'free' French aid worker

BBC News / Friday, 11 May 2007 - French aid worker kidnapped by the Taleban in Afghanistan on 3 April has been released, a Taleban spokesman has told the BBC.

There is no word on the fate of three Afghans also held by the group. The Taleban spokesman said the freed man was handed over to the Red Cross in the province of Kandahar.

There has been no word from the French government about the release. A French woman kidnapped at the same time was released two weeks ago. The aid workers were employed by the French group Terre d'enfance. It is not commenting on the reports at present.

Afghan parliament impeaches refugees minister, to vote again on foreign minister

Text of report by Pakistan-based Afghan Islamic Press news agency - Kabul, 10 May: The vote of confidence in the Afghan foreign minister was recounted and one vote was disputed.

After the Wolasi Jerga [the lower house of Afghan parliament] voted on Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin-Dadfar Spanta at today's session, it was announced that with 125 votes against him, the foreign minister had failed to get a vote of confidence, but later a ballot was found which was marked both "OK" and "X" using two different pens, so the effect of that vote was disputed.

The Wolasi Jerga announced that the said vote will be discussed in the next session of the house this Saturday [12 May]. At the same session of Wolasi Jerga, the refugees and returnees minister Mohammad Akbar Akbar was disqualified with 136 votes against him.

It should be mentioned that the Wolasi Jerga initially announced that Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar-Spanta had failed to get a vote of confidence. During today's polling, Rangin Dadfar Spanta got 67 votes in his favour and Mohammad Akbar Akbar got 54 votes in his favour.

It should be mentioned that it was previously agreed by the Wolasi Jerga that if there were 125 votes against a minister, he would be disqualified.

This polling was conducted today after Iran's forced deportation of thousands of Afghan refugees, including g some with legal documents. The deported refugees are currently living in Nimroz and Herat Provinces in very bad living conditions.

Water, other projects behind Iran deportations, hints Afghan minister

Text of report by Afghan independent Tolo TV on 10 May

[Presenter] At the parliamentary impeachment meeting today, MPs gave a vote of no confidence to the minister of refugee affairs, and postponed the decision on the foreign minister until Saturday for technical reasons.

Foreign Minister Dr [Rangin Dadfar] Spanta says there were political motives behind the parliamentary impeachment meeting, but added that he respected the vote by the MPs.

[Correspondent] A number of MPs said Afghan refugees were deported from Iran for political reasons. The MPs said Iranian authorities knew that the deportation of refugees would create several problems for the government of Afghanistan and the international forces.

The minister of foreign affairs says some neighbouring countries, which for several years used to appoint ministers and directors for Afghanistan, could not tolerate the presence of an independent Afghanistan. He did not name a specific country.

[Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta] I am very sorry to say that your questions force me to mention issues that I should not speak about for diplomatic reasons. But I should mention them for the sake of my honour and not for the sake of my position as foreign minister. There are sensitivities with regard to developments in the region: Iran's nuclear issue, and the tremendous waters that we have in our country, especially in the Harirod River and several other places. Any foreign minister, or any other minister, who tries to defend these interests should understand that this will provoke the hostility of some countries. For quite a long time, we have been under systematic pressure from our neighbouring country [probably means Iran] over the Harirod River waters and the Salma water dam.

[Correspondent] The minister of refugee affairs repeated the comments he made yesterday about the lack of budget funding and resources in his ministry. He said proper services could not be delivered to the returnees because of the lack of funding.

At today's meeting, 195 out of the 248 MPs were present. The absence of 53 MPs on such a day can be a questionable issue.

MP Shukria Barekzai considers Mr Spanta's doubtful vote as invalid. She says, according to the internal rules and regulations of parliament, the vote should be considered null and void.

[Correspondent] This is parliament's first experience in impeaching ministers. Speaking on the phone in reaction to the parliamentary decision, Dr Spanta said:

[Dr Rangin Dadfar Spanta] Parliament had a political move to make today and a series of specific objectives. As a democratic person, I respect any decision by parliament, and I wish the MPs success.

Iran foreign minister refutes UK claims that Tehran helps Taliban

Text of report in English by Iranian news agency IRNA website

Tehran, 10 May: Foreign Minister Manuchehr Mottaki on Thursday rejected accusations made by British Defence Secretary Des Browne that Tehran was helping the Taliban fight coalition forces in Afghanistan.

He told the Iranian al-Alam TV channel that the British, like the Americans, know how to put the blames on others.

The point in question which is under study is Britain's covert relations and secret talks with the Taliban leaders, Mottaki, who is currently on a tour of the Scandinavian states, added.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran believes in the continued support for President Hamid Karzai's government," he said urging the International Community, neighbouring countries and regional states to strongly support Karzai's government in order to prevent re-emergence of extremism and terrorism in Afghanistan.

Pakistan Fences Part of Afghan Border

Thursday May 10, 2007 7:31 PM - ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) - Pakistan has completed building a fence on a first section of its border with Afghanistan, a disputed measure designed to prevent militants from crossing the mountainous frontier, the army said Thursday.

President Gen. Pervez Musharraf announced in February that the army would go ahead with the fence amid pressure on Pakistan to do more to stop militants from using its soil as a springboard for attacks in Afghanistan.

Troops have completed the first 12-mile section of the fence at Alwara Mandi, a notorious insurgent crossing point in North Waziristan, army spokesman Maj. Gen. Waheed Arshad told The Associated Press.

Building a fence already was under way in several other locations along the long, mountainous frontier, he said. Afghanistan has criticized the plan to fence the border, which is disputed and not clearly demarcated at places. Kabul dismisses it as a distraction from Pakistan's failure to tackle alleged militant hide-outs on its soil.

Last month, Pakistani troops fired shots toward Afghan soldiers who Kabul said were trying to dismantle part of the fence near Alwara Mandi. There were no reports of casualties.

Musharraf has challenged Afghan and foreign forces to match Pakistan's effort to seal the border, which officials say include the deployment of 90,000 troops and the establishment of 110 border posts.

However, he has shelved plans to lay mines along the border amid objections also from the United Nations, which warned it would likely lead to civilian casualties.

ROZs ‘best weapon’ against Al Qaeda and Taliban: Rice

Daily Times 11 May 07 - LAHORE: The setting up of “reconstruction opportunity zones” (ROZs) in Afghanistan and the border regions of Pakistan are a critical component of the US counterinsurgency strategy, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said. “These zones would be special areas in Afghanistan and the border regions of Pakistan in which goods can be made and sent to America duty-free. These zones would create hope and opportunity for local citizens - the best weapons against Al Qaeda and the Taliban.

This new trade initiative is a critical component of our counterinsurgency strategy and is perhaps the clearest illustration of how trade can enhance our national security,” Rice said at the Business Council in Washington on Wednesday, according to a transcript released by the US State Department. Rice said to foster peace and stability between states, the US must promote prosperity, good governance and social justice within states, and free trade was a critical tool in this effort. “It is a pillar of our national security strategy,” she said. daily times monitor

Pakistan to close two refugee camps in Balochistan

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani government has announced the closure of two refugee camps in Balochistan. The Jungle Pir Alizai camp will be closed by June 15, whereas the Girdi Jungle camp will be closed by August 31.

This leaves the affected Afghan refugees with two options. They can either voluntarily move back to Afghanistan with the UNHCR’s assistance or they can relocate to the Ghazgai Minara camp, which is situated in the Loralai district of Balochistan.

However, it should be noted that the UNHCR would only offer assistance to registered Afghans, with unregistered Afghans being subjected to the law of the land.

Afghans, who wish to move back to their homeland, have been asked to contact the UNHCR’s scheduling centres in Ghousabad or Sabzal Road. They also have the option to approach the Baleli Voluntary Repatriation Centre (VRC) on the Quetta-Chaman Road.

The Afghans must bring their proof of registration cards as well as two coloured family photographs. Furthermore, all those above five years of age must pass the IRIS test in order to receive UNHCR assistance in Afghanistan. The entire cost of this process is expected to be $ 100 per person.

On the contrary, those wishing to relocate to the Ghazgai Minara camp have been asked to provide their names to the district administrators and the staff of the commissioner for afghan refugees. A copy of the list of will then be sent to the UNHCR, who will be responsible to provide basic necessities to the refugees on their arrival to the camp.

The camp itself is 345 kms away from Jungle Pir Alizai camp and 675 kms away from Girdi Jungle camp. It is currently home to 392 registered families with around 2,500 Afghans. online

Pakistan urges Afghanistan to immediately free its nationals

Text of report by Pakistani newspaper Dawn website on 10 May - [Report by Dawn Correspondent: "Afghanistan urged to free Pakistanis"]

Quetta, May 9: Pakistani officials on Wednesday pressed Afghan authorities to ensure immediate release of some Pakistanis arrested by the Afghan national army a few days ago near the borders, sources told Dawn.

During a meeting in Chaman of the tripartite commission comprising Pakistan, Afghanistan and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Afghan side expressed reservations over the fencing of some points along the border, the sources said.

The commission discussed ways and means to ensure sustainable coordination between the two neighbouring countries to battle the growing Taleban uprising in Afghanistan.

According to the sources, the meeting reviewed the border situation and discussed the biometric system installed at Chaman.

Pishin Scouts Commandant Col Masood, Afghan Gen Asmatullah, Gen Grand of Nato forces and officials of other agencies concerned of Pakistan and Afghanistan attended in the meeting.

Civilian deaths confirmed in Afghan battle

Associated Press - 11 May 2007 - The U.S.-led coalition confirmed late Thursday that a battle between U.S. forces and Taliban militants in southern Afghanistan caused civilian casualties and that a joint Afghan-U.S. investigation is under way.

The governor of Helmand province has said 21 civilians were killed in
airstrikes Tuesday in the Sangin area of Helmand province, though residents
of the area said the civilian death toll was higher.

In a statement late Thursday, the coalition said it had treated 20 Afghan
civilians wounded in the 16-hour battle, including a child who later died.
"There are confirmed reports of civilian casualties," but it was unclear
how many, the statement said. "A joint Afghan and coalition force inquiry
is being conducted."

Gen. Dan McNeill, the top NATO commander in Afghanistan, told NPR News'
"Morning Edition" that "it does appear there were civilian casualties" but
that it wasn't clear what caused them. He said it was likely the Taliban
militants had been firing on coalition forces from civilian homes.

U.S. Special Forces "got into an ambush by a far superior force, and as
they tried to work their way through this by shooting and moving, it became
clear this was a pretty good size insurgent force who also could shoot and
move pretty well," McNeill told NPR in an interview being aired Friday.

"And eventually the only way they were going (to) get out of it is -- they
got backed up to a river and between that and a piece of high ground -- was
to use airstrikes. It did not dissuade the insurgents."

The battle in Sangin marked the third major incident resulting in civilian
deaths in the last several months, sparking outrage among Afghans and a
warning from President Hamid Karzai that civilian deaths can no longer be
tolerated.

In March, U.S. Marines Special Forces fired on civilians after a suicide
attack in eastern Afghanistan, killing 19 civilians and wounding 50. Late
last month airstrikes and fighting killed some 50 civilians in the western
province of Herat, Afghan and U.N. officials say.

Afghans Say Civilian Toll in Strikes Is Much Higher Than Reported

NY Times - By CARLOTTA GALL Published: May 11, 2007

HERAT, Afghanistan, May 10 — The toll of civilians killed in bombing by coalition forces on Tuesday night was much higher than the official figure of 21, and may be as high as 50 or even 80, residents reached by telephone said Thursday.

The tally differed from that given by a government administrator of the Sangin region, Ezatullah, who uses only one name. He said he had spent four to five hours in the village of Sarwan Qala on Thursday and said the civilian death toll remained 21. Some Taliban were also killed in the bombing, he said, but he did not specify how many.

The United States military has stuck with its original news statement, which said that it had called in the airstrikes on Taliban insurgents after a heavy 16-hour battle and destroyed three militant compounds.

But residents of the area, some of whom said they had also visited the village and helped bury the dead, said three houses were destroyed and put the number of dead variously at 56, 60 and 80.

On Wednesday, villagers brought the bodies of 21 people, mostly women and children, to the Sangin district center to show them to government officials and NATO troops there.

Hajji Mahmud, a shopkeeper who lives near Sarwan Qala, said he was one of those who brought the bodies and said 56 people had been killed, most of them women and children.

“Three houses were completely destroyed,” he said in a telephone interview. “One of the houses belonged to Faizullah. The family of seven is dead, the whole family.” “Still now they are digging out bodies from the rubble,” he said.

A resident of the bombed village, Abdul Nasir, who was away from the village on Tuesday night, said more than 60 people had been killed and many more wounded.

“It was around 4 p.m. when the foreign vehicles came through on the main road,” he said. “The Taliban shot at them and they turned back. Then airplanes came and bombed the village at 10 p.m.,” he said. The Taliban were in the village during the day but left later and were not in the village at the time of the bombing, he said.

Gen. Dan McNeill, commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, confirmed that there were civilian casualties when American forces called in the airstrike after being ambushed “by a far superior force.”

“It does appear there were civilian casualties — exactly what caused them, we’re working our way through all that,” he said in an interview with National Public Radio, without specifying the number of civilian dead. A Taliban spokesman, Qari Yousuf Ahmadi, confirmed that Taliban fighters had fired on the military convoy but said they had left the village long before the bombing. He denied that any Taliban were killed in the airstrikes.

In an earlier telephone text message, he had warned, “We deeply mourn the death of civilians and soon we will take revenge for them.”

Ezatullah blamed the Taliban for drawing fire on the village. “This is the fault of the Taliban, and they are using civilian houses to fight from,” he said.

He said he had warned the villagers of Sarwan Qala not to allow the Taliban back in their village. “I told them they are here to destroy your village and women and children, and the people promised me they would not let them back,” he said.

The heavy civilian cost of the fighting has caused friction between the Taliban and local villagers, and villagers had pursued the Taliban commander who led the ambush, Wali Mahmud, to a village called Heratian and had killed him, Ezatullah said.

The shopkeeper Hajji Mahmud said he had also heard a separate report that Taliban fighters came to a village, Khangan, next to Sarwan Qala, on Wednesday night with the intention of attacking foreign troops, and the people sent a group of tribal elders to ask them not to attack because the village would likely be bombed.

There was an argument and the leader of the elders killed the Taliban commander and two of his bodyguards, he said, and had now fled the area.

Bulgaria to increase number of troops in Afghanistan

Text of report in English by Bulgarian news agency BTA website

Burgas, on the Black Sea, 9 May: In June Bulgaria will increase its contingent in Afghanistan from the present 83 service members to 400, Bulgarian Defence Minister Veselin Bliznakov said here today [9 May], replying to a reporter's question at a wreath-laying ceremony on the occasion of Victory Day.

He explained that at the end of 2006, NATO's Riga summit adopted a decision on an increase of the participation of all member states so as to stabilize Afghanistan. Accordingly, Bulgaria has decided to send companies to Kabul and to Kandahar, where they will guard the internal perimeter of the airport. "This is part of our commitments to participate in stabilization operations and counterterrorism operations overseas," the defence minister also said.

German Greens urge end to NATO mission in Afghanistan

Text of report by German news agency ddp

["Trittin Urges End to 'Operation Enduring Freedom'" - ddp headline]

After the death of another 21 civilians following an allied air raid in the south of Afghanistan, [German] Greens politician Juergen Trittin has called on the Federal Government to persuade Washington to end the "Operation Enduring Freedom." In a conversation with the Erfurt-based newspaper Thueringer Allgemeine (Thursday [ 10 May] edition), he pointed out the dangers resulting from it to the ISAF [International Security and Assistance Force] mission. "The Federal Government must have the courage to end its participation in 'Enduring Freedom'. Not jeopardizing a NATO action by command operations is the minimum of loyalty to the Alliance," Trittin said.

1,000 Polish troops more to Afghanistan

WARSAW, Poland, May. 10 (UPI) -- Poland plans to sent 1,000 more troops to Afghanistan to join NATO forces fighting Taliban and al-Qaida rebels, Poland Radio reported Thursday.

Polish troops already in Afghanistan number about 500, of whom 100 were deployed last year and 400 earlier this year. Abdul Haider, Afghan ambassador to Poland, said Warsaw's efforts to beef up its contingent symbolize the strength of strong links between the two countries.

Krzysztof Bobinski of the Polish Institute of International Affairs said dispatching additional troops to Afghanistan "will be a hard pill to swallow for plenty of Poles."

Bobinski said firing rockets and guns is not the way to win the war. He suggested government reform and economic development as more effective tools. The report said a recent public poll indicated nearly 80 percent of Poles are against involvement in Afghanistan.

Kabul detains Canadian citizen

24-year-old man who lived in Calgary allegedly attended militant training camp in Pakistan

GRAEME SMITH AND COLIN FREEZE - From Friday's Globe and Mail, May 11, 2007 at 1:30 AM EDT

SANGIN DISTRICT, AFGHANISTAN AND TORONTO — Afghan police have detained a Canadian citizen on suspicion that he attended a militant training camp, sources say, marking the first time in almost five years that a Canadian has been arrested in Afghanistan for possible involvement with the insurgency.

Police took the young man into custody at a bus station in Kabul within the past few days, sources say, and Afghan authorities continue to hold him for investigation at a compound belonging to the Ministry of Interior. His name was not released, but he was identified as a 24-year-old of Pakistani origin who previously lived in Calgary. He was carrying a Canadian passport at the time of his arrest.

The Foreign Affairs Department in Ottawa confirmed that a Canadian had been arrested, and said that embassy staff have consular access.

The man has not been formally charged, but police allege he attended a militant camp in Waziristan, a lawless border region of Pakistan believed to serve as a hideout for Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters.

The bearded man was behaving suspiciously in a way that attracted attention, a source said. “He got off a bus, and he stuck out.”

The detainee seems to speak at least a little Urdu, the national language of Pakistan, the source said. It's unlikely he was visiting relatives in Afghanistan because he does not appear to have family in the country.

A bitter enmity has developed between Pakistan and Afghanistan, as the latter accuses its neighbour of fomenting the Taliban insurgency, and Pakistanis sometimes complain of unfair treatment and profiling by Afghan police.

Afghan authorities, for their part, say the most fanatical suicide bombers and other insurgents are usually trained in Pakistan's border areas, beyond the legal reach of the Afghans or their allies from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

It has long been acknowledged that Waziristan is a magnet for jihadists. The mountainous region is home to fundamentalist tribes that have provided safe haven to al-Qaeda, Taliban and sundry others who fled the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan.

Pakistan frequently promises it will rein in the restive region, and hundreds of militants have died in recent weeks as the government has flooded Waziristan with thousands of troops. “We are fighting Taliban and al-Qaeda in the mountains of North Waziristan, South Waziristan,” Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf told a U.S. interviewer last year.

The area has been significant for Canada in the past. It was in South Waziristan that the Arab fugitive known to al-Qaeda cohorts and international intelligence agencies as “the Canadian” met his end.

Pakistani infantry soldiers teamed up with a helicopter gunship crew to hunt down and slay Ahmed Said Khadr and seven others in 2003. Years earlier, Mr. Khadr had moved his family from Canada to Afghanistan, where they once lived in a compound with Osama bin Laden.

Members of the Khadr family crossed over to Pakistan with al-Qaeda figures after the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. A year before the patriarch of the family was killed, then-15-year-old son Omar Khadr was dispatched by his father back toward the front lines, where he was wounded and captured in a deadly Afghan gun battle with U.S. soldiers.

Omar Khadr has spent the past five years in U.S. custody in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, held on charges that he is an enemy combatant who murdered a soldier with a grenade. His trial is set to begin this summer.

The organizers of the July 7, 2005, London transit bombings that killed 52 people are understood to have attended a terrorist summit in Waziristan before carrying out that attack.

Last week, a mujahedeen fighter turned Afghan opposition politician told an interviewer with the conservative American Jamestown Foundation think tank that Waziristan “is in flames” and added that “the people of these districts, men and women, are now mostly pro-al-Qaeda.”

With a report from Bill Curry in Ottawa

Tories flop on green plan, Afghan issue: poll

Canadian Press 11 May 07 - OTTAWA (CP) - Canadians are not impressed with the Conservative government's handling of the Afghan detainee issue or its new green plan, a new poll suggests.

The two issues have dominated parliamentary debate for the last month, during which the Tories' lead in public opinion has evaporated.

A Decima poll, provided exclusively to The Canadian Press, indicates that 55 per cent of those polled believe it's likely that detainees captured by Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan wind up being tortured by Afghan authorities. And 58 per cent believe Canada has an obligation to ensure those detainees are not abused.

On that score, only 33 per cent were satisfied with the government's confused and contradictory handling of the issue; 42 per cent were dissatisfied. Dissatisfaction was highest in Ontario (49 per cent), the province that holds the key to Tory hopes for a majority in the next election, and British Columbia (50 per cent).

The Tory government fared a bit better with its new plan for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Nevertheless, 47 per cent were dissatisfied with the plan while 41 per cent were satisfied. Dissatisfaction was stronger than average among women and residents of Quebec - two core groups the Tories have been trying to woo in bid to secure a majority.

Moreover, two of the leading critics of the plan - environmentalist David Suzuki and former U.S. vice-president Al Gore - were deemed to be more credible than Environment Minister John Baird.

Suzuki and Gore have said the plan will do little to combat global warming while Baird insists it's a major step forward. Asked to choose whose view is more credible, 59 per cent chose Suzuki over Baird (25 per cent) and 44 per cent chose Gore over Baird (34 per cent).

While not exactly encouraging for the Tories, Decima CEO Bruce Anderson said the polls results could have been worse given the pummelling the government has taken on both issues.

"This is not as bad news as some of the coverage might have suggested, but it's certainly the case that this is the agenda that has been dominating and it's not a particularly good one for the Conservatives."

Anderson noted that the 41 per cent satisfaction rate on the green plan is much better than public reaction to the Tories' initial plan last fall and actually higher than current support for the Conservative party. Still, he said the improvement is "perhaps not" as great as the government had hoped.

On the Afghan prisoner issue, Anderson said Canadians are not necessarily blaming the government for torture and abuse of detainees. However, the poll suggests that the government's handling of the matter is at odds with the majority view that torture is occurring and that Canada has a duty to prevent it.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his cabinet ministers initially insisted there was no evidence of torture and that former detainees who'd complained of ill-treatment were not to be believed. They accused opposition MPs who raised the issue of caring more about the Taliban than Canadian soldiers - even though no one suggested any involvement by Canadian troops.

The government was embarrassed when evidence subsequently emerged that it had in fact received - and allegedly tried to hide - warnings that torture is rife in Afghan prisons.

Defence Minister Gordon O'Connor also came under opposition pressure to resign after providing inaccurate information about who, if anyone, was monitoring the treatment of prisoners handed over by Canada to Afghan authorities.

Finally last week, on the brink of a hearing asking Federal Court to block any further transfers of detainees to Afghan authorities, the government hastily signed a new agreement with Afghanistan. It sets out a new process for monitoring the treatment of detainees once they're handed over.

The poll of just over 1,000 Canadians was conducted May 3-7 and is considered accurate within 3.1 percentage points 19 times in 20.

Tories try to block Afghan detainee probe

Opposition wonders if a scathing report was deliberately withheld.

By MURRAY BREWSTER, CP - OTTAWA -- Conservative members of the House of Commons ethics committee spent five hours yesterday trying to block an investigation related to the Afghan detainee controversy.

Opposition parties proposed to conduct a probe into whether Foreign Affairs deliberately tried to withhold a scathing human-rights report that says torture and abuse in Afghan prisons is commonplace.

A filibuster led by Ontario Tory Mike Wallace came to an end shortly after reporters arrived at a committee meeting.

"We want to know if there was political interference," said Bloc MP Carole Lavallee, whose motion to conduct the investigation passed immediately after Conservative resistance collapsed.

It was amusing to see government members "roll over" within moments of the news media arriving, said other opposition members.

"I think they read the writing on the wall that they weren't going to be able to stop this," said NDP MP Pat Martin. "An Access to Information Act request by the Globe and Mail for human-rights studies related to conditions in Afghan jails was turned down by Foreign Affairs earlier this year. Bureaucrats said no such records existed.

But the department did have several annual reports assessing the situation in Afghanistan and a heavily censored version was eventually released. At the same time, an uncensored version of the 2006 report was leaked to media.

Comparing the two versions, the Globe reported the blanked-out segments contained scathing, generalized comments about the treatment of prisoners in Afghan jails. The Opposition has accused the Conservative government of deliberately trying to hide the harsh assessment.

Martin called it the most "egregious example of abuse of freedom of information that any of us have ever seen."

A complaint has been filed with the information commissioner of Canada and Wallace argued it should be allowed to run its course before the politicians get involved.

"I don't mind looking at it once the commissioner has made a determination (whether) the individual responsible for (access to information) in Foreign Affairs did the right thing or not," he said after the committee meeting.

Ex-Afghan warlord ready to take on Taliban

The Ottawa Citizen - 05/10/2007 By David Pugliese - Just give him the word, he'll raise 10,000 troops

SHEBIRGHAN - A former Afghan warlord who played a key role in helping the U.S. defeat the Taliban in late 2001 says he can do the same thing again if President Hamid Karzai and his international military backers just give him the word.

Gen. Abdul Rashid Dostum said he could raise 10,000 seasoned troops, combat veterans from the days of fighting the Taliban, to crush the ongoing insurgency. His proposal would involve 10,000 Afghan soldiers from all ethnic groups in the country to fight alongside an equal number of troops from the international forces now in the country.

"Then you would see what will happen in just six months," he explained in a rare interview from his stronghold in northern Afghanistan.

"If President Karzai gives me the power, I can guarantee him and assure the international community and the people of Afghanistan that we can play a significant role in defeating and breaking the back of the Taliban."

Speaking through an interpreter, Gen. Dostum said such a force would pursue and destroy the Taliban even if it has to go into the lawless Pakistani territories along the border with Afghanistan, where the Taliban recruit and operate.

Gen. Dostum, 53, is currently chief of staff of the Afghan army. but that is considered a largely ceremonial position. Some in the government of Mr. Karzai don't trust the general and worry that he is consolidating his power and secretly re-arming his forces, something Gen. Dostum denies.

The general has survived over the decades by making deals with various powerbrokers in Afghanistan. He fought on the side of the Russians during the bloody occupation and war that engulfed the country from 1979 to 1989. Later, he threw his support behind anti-Communist forces.

In the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on the United States, Gen. Dostum's troops joined with U.S. special forces and CIA operatives to play an important role in defeating the Taliban.

The general's tanks and cavalry, backed by U.S. air power, routed the Taliban in a matter of months. His men have a reputation of being ruthless and skilled fighters.

Gen. Dostum, who has been accused of war crimes for his actions both during Afghanistan's earlier wars and in the aftermath of the Taliban defeat, dismisses concerns that he poses a threat to the Karzai regime. He points out that he was the first to disarm and support Afghan's elected government.

But Gen. Dostum said NATO and the U.S. are making a mistake by creating the fledgling Afghan National Army (ANA) along the lines of a western military force. The ANA are no match for seasoned Taliban fighters, he added. The answer, he maintains, are the hardened combat veterans from Afghanistan's previous wars.

"The Taliban are recruiting people who know war and suffering and have nothing to lose," he explained. "Of course they will be tougher than the ANA recruits."

NATO and the U.S. see the ANA as key to their eventual withdrawal from Afghanistan. Afghan troops are already fighting alongside international forces and NATO hopes that at some point the Afghan army will be able to take on even more of a role on the battlefield.

In the last year, the Taliban have rebounded and launched numerous attacks on civilians and international and Afghan forces.

Gen. Dostum said he warned Mr. Karzai in 2002 that although the Taliban were on the run, they should be pursued and destroyed. In the following years he said he continued to tell the Afghan government that if something wasn't done about Taliban remnants, they would regroup.

Dostum said his warnings were ignored and what he predicted has come to pass.
"The Taliban are now becoming more and more powerful, they are regrouping and bringing more fighters from Pakistan."

He said his presence in the north is key to preventing the Taliban from conducting operations there. And certainly there have only been a few attacks on international forces in the north. Almost all Taliban activity is focused in the the south, where Canadians and British forces are stationed.

But some western diplomats in Kabul say the general is no longer a force to be reckoned with in Afghanistan. They say it would be impossible to use his troops because of Gen. Dostum's past abuses on the battlefield.

But others argue that he is still a major powerbroker in the north and that there are few of the major Afghan leaders who don't have blood on their hands from actions during the country's ongoing wars.

Mullah Abdul Salam Zaeef, a former senior Taliban official, agreed that Gen. Dostum is a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, adding that he is "a big killer." But the mullah said if Gen. Dostum, a Uzbeck, was allowed to command a new army, he would face an uprising from Afghanistan's Pashtun ethnic group, who hate him.

Gen. Dostum said Afghanistan is in a once in a lifetime position in which the international community wants to help the country rebuild. It's a chance that may never come again, he says, and it is too important an opportunity to allow the Taliban to jeopardize it.

Future of world linked to Afghanistan: Khalilzad

UNITED NATIONS, May 8 (Pajhwok Afghan News): New US Ambassador to United Nations Zalmay Khalilzad assured on Monday the United States was committed towards making Afghanistan a strong and stable prosperous democratic nation.

Visiting the Afghanistan Mission at the United Nations early Monday morning, Khalilzad said though his trip was symbolic, yet it reflected his intent to make Afghanistan a top priority at the United Nations as permanent representative of the US.

Khalilzad, who took over the presidency of the UN Security Council for May, made a strong policy statement during the visit to the Afghan mission - his first visit to a foreign mission in the present capacity. During the 20-minute courtesy call on Afghan Ambassador to UN Dr. Zahir Tanin, the two diplomats discussed a wide range of issues related to Afghanistan.

Khalilzad said: This visit indicates that Afghanistan is very important to the US and the UN Security Council. We have already started talking about some substantive issues. The visit is just an indicator that I take the issue if Afghanistan very seriously. I think I have expressed that in my public statement too that the future of Afghanistan is my top priority as the US Ambassador to the UN.

On his agenda at the UN, Khalilzad said he would reassess the role of the UN mission in Afghanistan so that it could be more effective and constructive. In this regard, he is looking forward to a meeting later this month with Tom Koenings, special representative of the secretary general to Afghanistan.

I think there is clearly this issue: What can the UN do in Afghanistan? I would sit with him (Koenigs) to know his assessment of the situation and what can be done to make sure we have a strong and effective UN presence (in Afghanistan).

Asked if the US was mulling a review of the UN mission in Afghanistan, Khalilzad told Pajhwok Afghan News: It is always a good idea to see where we are, what could be done and how to make it more effective. I am waiting for the meeting with Tom Koenigs.

We would sit down and discuss all that. I am also doing my own review and assessment of the situation in Afghanistan. Hopefully, in the aftermath of the visit of the special envoy, we may have something to say on that.

Responding to queries from reporters at a press conference after the meeting, Khalilzad emphasised the point that the success of Afghanistan was very important for the future of the region South Asia and the Middle East but also the entire world.

Afghanistans future is very important for us. It is obviously important for the people of Afghanistan. It is also important for the future of the region and the world. What happens in Afghanistan would have an impact not only on the region, but the world over.

Looking forward to collaborative efforts with other colleagues at the UN to make sure that the world body play a stronger role in support of the people of Afghanistan and its successful transition towards a democracy, Khalilzad said:. I know the country is facing many challenges as this transition has not been that easy.

There are dilemmas with regard to building state institutions, meeting the expectations of the people in terms of rule of law, in terms of economic prosperity. There is violence which has been perpetrated by the enemies of Afghanistan that has to be dealt with.

Khalilzad said: I have a strong conviction that the people of Afghanistan want to succeed. They have seen problems caused by extremism, by terror, by backwardness. They want to be the masters of their own destiny.

Appreciating the performance of President Hamid Karzai, Khalilzad said he was playing an important role in leading the country. I wish him well in completing the unfinished business of Afghanistan. There is lot which needs to be done.

About the role of regional powers, Khalilzad said he hoped the leaders of neighbouring countries would cooperate to assist Afghanistan in this transition. To be a good neighbour is to help Afghanistan in its transition to a successful democratic nation. We have known from experience earlier that when Afghanistan is in a social turmoil, it creates a lot of problems for the region refugees being one of them. Only a successful neighbour can buy, sell and deal with problems in a cooperative way because it has the capacity to act responsibly.

He cited the example of Europe, saying its countries learnt from past mistakes of fueling problems in their neighbors and started helping them in dealing with the issues.

I hope the leaders of the region would learn from the experience of Europe, which chose after World War II a different model of cooperation in security, political, economic and other fields. Now they are more prosperous than ever but the rule by which they play and compete is very different. That is something which has to happen in this region ultimately because now the focus of the world is on it because of its problems.

On US-Iran-Afghanistan relations and the impact of Washington-Tehran hostilities, the US diplomat observed: I hope Iran would play a positive role in the transition of Afghanistan towards a strong and stable democratic nation.

Responding to a question on the perceived cold war between India and Pakistan in the landlocked country, Khalilzad said: Without conforming to your point, I would like to say that others (South Asian nations) who have rivalries do not export their rivalries into Afghanistan.

He added Afghanistan had had enough difficulties in the past including decades of turmoil, suffering of the people, lack of educational opportunities and absence of security that created problems for the entire region. They should look at Afghanistan as a collective good, he remarked.

Khalilzad said: I think this is a challenge for Afghan diplomacy to engage its neighbours. Afghanistan needs the help of the international community. The United States is committed to Afghanistans success.

Earlier, welcoming the US ambassador, Dr. Zahir Tanin said his visit carried a lot of significance for Afghanistan. This is very important for us.

Recounting the mans contribution to shaping Afghanistans future in the post-Taliban era, Tanin said: Khalilzad has played a very important role in helping the country to move towards stability, peace and democracy. During all these years of crisis and war, he played a very important role.

The Afghan ambassador said: He is very well known in Afghanistan. People have great respect for Khalilzad as a senior US diplomat and as a son of Afghanistan. He is a man with great knowledge of society, polity and history of Afghanistan.

Lalit K. Jha

What Unites The New 'United Front'?

RFE/RL -05/10/2007 By Amin Tarzi

In Afghanistan, more than 30 people announced in Kabul on March 13 the formation of a political grouping called the United Front of Afghanistan.

The initial membership list includes representatives of about 15 political parties, as well as independents that include former communists and a grandson of the last Afghan monarch. Members have since talked about the group's agenda and intentions in general terms, but much of the coverage so far has ignored what unites the front -- beyond the well-worn slogans of "national unity."

The new United Front calls for amending Afghanistan' s Islamic constitution to transform the political system from a presidential to a parliamentary model. It also wants provincial governors elected rather than selected by the president.

The United Front proposes changing the country's electoral system from the current system (a so-called single nontransferable voting system, or SNTV) to a proportional system, which would arguably strengthen the role of political parties. It has also outlined a series of social services that it vows to implement to improve the lives of the Afghan public.

In the area of foreign relations, the front seeks coordination of the activities of foreign forces present in Afghanistan, and official recognition of the international border between Afghanistan and Pakistan -- known in Kabul as the Durand Line.

Critical Of 'Government- Building' Effort

A member of the Afghan National Assembly's Wolesi Jirga (People's Council) and spokesman for the United Front, Sayyed Mustafa Kazemi, spoke at a roundtable in Kabul organized by RFE/RL's Radio Free Afghanistan in early April. Kazemi argued that there has been some progress in the state building -- or as he called it, "government building" -- that is envisaged in the Bonn agreement of late 2001, which served as a blueprint for post-Taliban Afghanistan. But he said no serious work has been done in second area -- that of nation building. Kazemi said the United Front essentially wants to redirect Afghanistan toward the ideals set forth in Bonn.

Kazemi dismissed suggestions that a campaign to transform the presidential system to a parliamentary one amounts to an effort to dismantle the constitution. He said that, in due time, the United Front hopes to test constitutional Articles 149 and 150, which allow amendments proposed by the president or legislative majority based on "new experiences and requirements of the time."

Once the proposal is forwarded, a presidential appointed commission would implement the proposal. It would then have to be approved by a Loya Jirga (Grand Assembly), after which a two-thirds majority in the National Assembly would be required. The change would be finalized after signature by the presidential.

Karzai vehemently opposes any effort to impose a parliamentary system on the country, and is unlikely to endorse any move to change the current presidential system.
Does the United Front represent an effort to resurrect the United National Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan -- popularly known as the Northern Alliance?

Responding to fears that the United Front's proposal to elect provincial governors is a step toward federalism in Afghanistan, Kazemi said the group is not endorsing federalism. Instead, he said, it is advocating a strengthening of provincial government. He pointed to the current Provincial Councils, which are elected, and asked why governors should not undergo similar public scrutiny. Kazemi pointed to the U.S. model, in which state governors are directly elected, although he made no mention of the federal nature of the U.S. system.

Many Afghans, especially Pashtuns, view federalism -- an idea proposed in the past by some members of the United Front -- as tantamount to a de facto partition of the country. Or, at least, an imposition of Pashtun power in non-Pashtun areas of Afghanistan.

Kazemi briefly addressed the issue of foreign troops in Afghanistan. Some have suggested that the United Front would seek to legalize the status of foreign forces in Afghanistan. He said only that the United Front would desire a "partnership," but provided no further details.

Exclusive Membership?

At the RFE/RL roundtable, the United Front's membership list came under particular scrutiny for two reasons.

First, a number of the members of the United Front hold senior government positions; if they are criticizing the performance of the Karzai administration, then they presumably share some of the blame. Similarly, despite claims by members of the United Front that they are not an "opposition" grouping, their stated policies reflect opposition and they arguably should resign from the current government. Members of the United Front include Afghan First Vice President Ahmad Zia Mas'ud, Energy and Water Minister Mohammad Ismail Khan, Deputy Chief of Staff of the High Command of the Armed Forces of Afghanistan General Abdul Rashid Dostum, and Marshall Mohammad Qasim Fahim, who currently serves as a senior adviser.

On this government-cum- opposition issue, Kazemi asserted that the United Front aims to work under the Afghan Constitution and within the Karzai administration to bring about gradual reform. Kazemi insisted that the United Front is no opposition bloc, adding that its critical evaluation of the Karzai administration is an "exercise in democracy."

The second reason that the membership list came under fire relates to the inclusion within the United Front of former high-level officials involved in the security and military apparatus under the communist regimes of Afghanistan -- such as Sayyed Mohammad Gulabzoi and Nur al-Haq Olumi. Those individuals served within the command structure of a system that left more than 1 million Afghans dead, through military actions or their treatment in detention centers.

On this second criticism, Kazemi explained that many former communists entered the new Afghan political system only after the first postcommunist government under President Sebghatullah Mojaddedi in 1992 issued a general amnesty (to former communists). Kazemi said that Gulabzoi and Olumi, for instance, have been granted legitimacy by the people, since both won election to the Wolesi Jirga. He added that Afghanistan must "close steel doors" in its effort to break decisively with its past.

The main elements of the United Front's platform -- particularly the transformation to a parliamentary system and eliminating the voting system (SNTV) -- were addressed by the current speaker of the lower house (Wolesi Jirga) in conversations with RFE/RL in 2005. Mohammad Yunos Qanuni -- as leader of the now-defunct umbrella group, the National Understanding Front -- vowed at the time that his group would behave as a "loyal opposition" that accepted the legitimacy of the Karzai administration. Qanuni, who has joined but has remained largely behind the scenes, in 2005 spoke about "rationalization and legalization of the struggle" -- words echoed by Kazemi two years later.

Not Looking Back

Does the United Front represent an effort to resurrect the United National Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan -- popularly known as the Northern Alliance -- which united against the Taliban regime? Despite the inclusion of many prominent figures from the Northern Alliance -- including Qanuni, Fahim, Dostum, and Mas'ud -- United Front spokesman Kazemi insisted that the new grouping bears no relation to the Northern Alliance.

He emphasized that the name of the new grouping is not the "United National Front" -- as has been reported -- because the new grouping wants to avoid being confused with the United National Front, or Northern Alliance.

So what unites such a diverse grouping?

The United Front seems united in opposing Karzai, despite the diplomatic niceties suggesting that it is not an opposition coalition. The strategy appears focused on gaining legitimacy by working within the Karzai administration while trying to weaken the political forces that President Karzai is trying to muster on his side. On one hand, it marks a success for Afghanistan that the United Front talks of the "rationalization" of its political struggle rather than resorting to violence -- which had been the story of Afghanistan since the 1978 communist putsch. But some might also consider it unfortunate that the president's second in command and others within his ruling circle unite in opposing the head of state, rather than work with him to address the problems facing the current administration.

Unfortunately for its supporters, if the Karzai factor was removed from the equation today, the United Front might not stay very united. Nor would the rational heads among its members be able to stop those who still command private militias.

Opinion: Brutality of Afghan conflict and Taliban mindset

By Rahimullah Yusufzai

Afghanistan's Meshrano Jirga, or Senate, on May 8 asked the government of President Hamid Karzai to hold direct talks with the Taliban and other opposition groups in a bid to end bloodshed in the country. It also demanded an end to military operations by the US-led western coalition forces in Afghanistan.

This was the first time that the 101-member, government-dominated Senate, the upper house of the Afghan parliament with half of its members nominated by President Karzai, made such an unusual demand. It came at a time of rising public discontent with the Karzai government due to rising civilian casualties at the hands of trigger-happy western troops.

However, the Taliban are unwilling to hold talks with the Karzai government. Taliban leader Mulla Mohammad Omar has more than once rejected talks with President Karzai as long as western forces remain in Afghanistan. Mulla Dadullah Akhund, the top Taliban military commander, has been even more forceful in ruling out any talks with the Afghan President.

In a recent interview with this writer conducted via satellite phone from an undisclosed location, he explained the Taliban position with regard to recent events in Afghanistan. He defended the recent on-camera beheading of a 'spy' by a 12-year old boy by arguing that such acts would spread fear among the 'infidels' and prepare young Muslims for 'jihad' against the non-believers.

He disclosed that the Taliban were planning to let Afghan women behead 'spies' and criminals in future as part of their new 'jihad' strategies. All this shows that the Afghan conflict is increasingly becoming brutal. The Taliban no doubt

are contributing to the brutality of the conflict but other parties to the dispute cannot absolve themselves of the blame. The rising civilian casualties largely due to indiscriminate bombing by US and Nato warplanes and the abuse of prisoners at the hands of western forces have also made the Afghan conflict brutal and bloodier.

The interview is being published to understand the Taliban take on recent happenings in Afghanistan and peep into the Taliban mindset.

Question: What are your conditions for talks with the Karzai government on the future of Afghanistan?

Dadullah: In our view, Karzai is a powerless president and a puppet of the US. He is just like a statue. How do you hold talks with a president who cannot take independent decisions? The real power in Afghanistan is the US. Karzai would have to display his independence to enable us to judge that he has power to talk to the Taliban and implement decisions. He could start doing that

by demanding an end to US and Nato bombing missions that kill civilians. He should act like an honourable Afghan who cares about his people. He should demand withdrawal of foreign forces from our homeland and set a timetable for that. Once that is done, we could consider holding talks with Karzai and his government.

Question: How can reporters tell the story of the conflict in Afghanistan and highlight the Taliban point of view if you kidnap, torture and kill journalists?

Dadullah: There is no ban on genuine journalists, including those from the west, wanting to visit Taliban-held areas in Afghanistan. We just want them to factually and honestly report the situation and not to take sides in this conflict. We have no intention of kidnapping, torturing and killing true journalists.

Question: Why did you behead Afghan journalist Ajmal Naqshbandi in such a cruel way? Why did you kidnap Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo, Ajmal Naqshbandi and their Afghan driver?

Dadullah: There were two reasons for that. One, the western media is biased. It takes the side of the western governments and their forces in Afghanistan. The Taliban version is seldom given and is often distorted. We have complained about it in the past and we highlighted this issue when we kidnapped Daniele. Also, we made the point that the Taliban spokesmen such as Latifullah Hakimi, Ustad Yasir and Dr Hanif were arrested although they were not involved in

any combat operations and were just giving the Taliban side of any happening or fire-fight. In other conflict zones in the world, such spokesmen are allowed to operate. Our fighters were angry that Taliban spokesmen were put behind bars while western journalists, some of whom are spies, were freely moving in Taliban-controlled areas. We had our suspicions about Daniele as he had been coming to Helmand province for about a month. These suspicions were reinforced

by the presence of his driver Sayed Agha in his group. Sayed Agha was definitely a spy for the Afghan and foreign forces and he was beheaded after he confessed his crime. As for Ajmal, we made our investigations and found out that he belonged to an important family aligned with the Afghan government. One of his uncles is serving at the US base in Bagram. Ajmal's other close relatives are serving in different organs of the government, including the information ministry. He collected information for the Afghan government and the US about the Taliban and was a spy disguised as a journalist. We beheaded him after properly investigating his case.

Question: You were quoted as saying by sections of the media that Ajmal Naqshbandi and Daniele Mastrogiacomo were journalists and not spies. Then why did you kill Ajmal and use Daniele as a bargaining chip to secure the release of five Taliban prisoners?

Dadullah: I never said that Daniele and Ajmal were journalists. It was part of

the propaganda started by the regime in Kabul against the Taliban. From the beginning, I and the Taliban spokesmen were saying that Daniele and the two Afghans, Ajmal and Sayed Agha, were on a spying mission. Subsequently, we carried out our investigations and arrived at that conclusion.

We beheaded Sayed Agha first because we were left with no doubt that he was a spy. In the case of Ajmal, we gave an opportunity to the Karzai government to save his life by releasing three Taliban prisoners even though we knew that he too was a spy. We released Daniele when the Afghan government on Italy's request accepted our demand and freed five Taliban prisoners.

Question: Karzai and the Italian ambassador in Kabul claimed that the deal was for the release of five Taliban prisoners for the two hostages, i.e., Daniele Mastrogiacomo and Ajmal Naqshbandi. Why didn't you keep your word?

Dadullah: There was no such deal. I have kept my word even in very difficult times. Karzai and the Italian ambassador are wrong in claiming that the deal was for the release of five Taliban prisoners in return for the two hostages. The case of Daniele was different from that of Ajmal. The Taliban made no demand concerning Ajmal as long as Daniele was in our custody. All

negotiations until then were for the release of Daniele in return for freedom of the Taliban prisoners. Once Daniele was released we started demanding freedom for three of our colleagues held by the Afghan government in return for Ajmal's release.

Question: The Taliban later kidnapped two French aid workers in Nimruz province. They also abducted five Afghan medical workers in Kandahar. Will you kill them if the Karzai government refuses to release Taliban prisoners in exchange?

Dadullah: We have already freed the French female worker on humanitarian grounds. The French nationals and others were kidnapped under our publicly stated policy that all foreigners and Afghans working for the US-led coalition forces and the Afghan government or supporting them would be targeted. We have forewarned Afghans through "shabnamas" (night-letters) and public announcements not to work for the puppet Karzai regime and for the occupying western

forces. We have conveyed our demand to the Afghan authorities and to the French government for the release of some Taliban prisoners and the withdrawal of French troops from Afghanistan and Kabul's and Paris' response would determine their fate. With regard to the five Afghan medical workers now in Taliban custody, we have found out after investigations that some of them are close relatives of Gul Agha Sherzoi, former governor of Kandahar and presently

Governor of Nangarhar. We have demanded the release of 15 Taliban prisoners in exchange for the five members of the Afghan medical team. Let me also tell you that the Afghan authorities are willing to secretly exchange prisoners but we want to do this publicly, as we did in the case of the Italian journalist.

The writer is an executive editor of The News International based in Peshawar.

Jihad against govt obligatory, says mullah

Daily Times 11 May 07 - Staff Report - ISLAMABAD: Jihad against the present government was obligatory for every Muslim, Maulana Abdul Aziz of Lal Masjid announced on Thursday.

The government had taken un-Islamic steps so seminary students and people should come out for enforcement of Sharia in the country, Aziz said in a press statement.

He said he and his followers would continue the movement for enforcement of Sharia and until demolition of the current system. He said lawyers should also join the movement as Sharia would ensure dispensation of “true justice”.

[Disclaimer: The content of this news bulletin does not necessarily reflect the view or policy of the Afghan Government, unless specifically stated as such. The collection of articles and commentaries from Afghan and international news sources is provided for informational purposes, and accuracy of the news is the responsibility of the original source.]